Love Breaks All Chains
He was back in the same damn laboratory that belonged to those Project: Titan's Spine scientists. What was it that caused them to bring him back? Maybe it had something to do with what had resulted from their previous experiments. Specifically, the Dark Transformation that occurred when Akunin was enraged. During his first experience at Titan's Spine, he had been infected with large quantities of modified chakra that was said to be much darker than standard chakra. According to what he had heard, all past test subjects had died when this new chakra entered their system. However, Akunin survived, and even stuck around to bear the fruits of their labor. Now, he was back in their lab, getting another nice dose of this dark energy. The scientists had immobilized him by locking his wrists and ankles into restraints that were placed appropriately on a flat, table-like structure. Just above him was a device that was supposed to inject the dark chakra into his body. Overseeing this procedure were two scientists, who clearly seemed to be enjoying themselves. "Everything is set, sir." The first one said. "Start it up." His superior chimed. "If he survives this one, we may just have our unbeatable shinobi." With a flick of a switch, the machine would start. Several cables of some sort with sharp edges would come down from the curious machine and pierce Akunin. With a roar of pain, he would try to break free. But alas, the restraints were far too strong. Right after the initial pain, the dark chakra would follow. As if he were being electrocuted, Akunin's body began to spasm from the sudden injection of foreign chakra. Screams filled the room, but no one would be there to deliver the man from his agony. ---- Or that's what he thought. She hadn't seen Spiky Boy in a long time. While hunger played a factor in her search, it was increasingly outweighed by concern for him. He was nice to her, a great cook, and someone she could always bring on adventures and fun. In short, Tenjin had become used to him being around; misgivings about this abrupt end to the meals led the blue-haired lass to seek out her eldest sibling Eihei. She was the best tracker Ten knew, so she had Ei look into the matter. Ei's searches were why Tenjin broke out of the clearing now. Spotting the inconspicuous building that Eihei said likely housed Spiky Boy. Her vision blurred for a second, tears clouding it. Though childish and fairly naive by nature, she couldn't help but catch her sister's grimace when she pointed out this location. A grimace that meant suffering and pain; her arms shifted into RPGs, pointing at the wall. With a furious yell she'd fire, the building rocking as she created her own entrance. ---- As soon as the wall was breached by the girl's sudden attack, an alarm would sound. "INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER HAS ENTERED SECTOR FOUR!" It would scream over and over. As loud as the alarm was, Akunin could barely make out what it was saying over the rumbling of the machine and his own screams. If there was the slightest chance someone had come to save him, he would be eternally grateful. After the alarm sounded a few times more, several shinobi, all wielding s would run out to meet the lass. "You are trespassing on Titan's Spine property! Surrender or face the consequences!" The apparent leader of the seven men roared. Apparently, the men were either ignorant, or completely unaware of the power that this intruder possessed, for none of them seemed in the least bit concerned...even though a giant piece of the wall that had been there a few seconds ago was now missing. ---- "Where is Spiky Boy!???!!!!" she snarled in response, her chakra roaring to life as she stepped forward. The pressure generated would cause the ground to crack as Ten surged, her hands changing once more as her eyes shown in the legendary ripple pattern. Now more portable semi-automatics, she would unload on her adversaries, firing round after round until they were out of her way, continuing to mow through any and all willing to oppose her. Her tunnel vision would narrow further as she heard the faintest sound of screams. ---- Although there was an unwelcome guest in the complex, the scientists would not simply stop injecting Akunin with this new chakra. More and more dark energy would be pumped into the boy, and finally, he would bring forth the transformation they were anticipating. Akunin's screams would change into something like that of a roar. His unkept, black hair would grow much longer and turn a stark white. Dark class would take the place of his trimmed fingernails, and his skin would be white like his hair. Akunin's eyes would be coated with dark shade of black. Suddenly, the lights went out. The power to the building had been cut off. For a brief moment, the men would be confused about what had happened, but they would soon find the answer. One of the scientists found himself bisected. The only hint as to what may have happened was a dark energy that had begun to pulsate off of a set of dark claws. A second scientist would shriek as his face was gouged by that same set of claws. Akunin had caused his chakra to flow up through the cables that were pumping chakra into him. The dark chakra he already possessed had overloaded the power grid, and plunged the complex into darkness. Akunin slowly started torwards the door. Nothing resembling humanity was left in him, for now, he was a monster. ---- The screams that she had started to follow ended abruptly. Ten dropped the beheaded corpse of one guard as she continued to move forward. Before suddenly recoiling; a foul chakra permeated the corridor as she inched along its length. Her ears would catch the sound of roars; they grew louder by the second. With the new sound Ten would break into a blind run, using the faint glow of her own eyes to pierce the inky blackness of the building. Her heart continued to fill with trepidation as each step came to pass; the darkness magnifying the silent loneliness that appeared destined to last. ---- "Stop him!" An apparent leader of a squad of heavily armed men snapped as he and his team ran into the door. The first two men would charge a crazed Akunin with their chakra sabers blazing, only to be cut down by his claws. A third would attempt to slice of his hand in a glittering arc, but alas, Akunin was too fast. The aggressor would find that his target had disappeared for a moment, only to reappear behind him and impale him on his arm. Sliding the corpse off, he turned to face the terrified remainder of the squad. The only hint as to what happened was the terrified shrieks of several men, just before an ominous silence. Now, Akunin was on the move, quickly traversing the maze of a complex. After a few turns, he would encounter a few more men who tried to stop his progress. These too, were ripped apart. ---- The return of screams would give speed to her limbs. She would navigate through a maze of retreating forms in the darkness, obliterating them while going the way they came from. Once again, a forbidding silence would take hold, the woman slowing down as caution took over. She transformed her arm into a longsword as she listened the oncoming footsteps. ---- Suddenly, a body would be sent flying down the corridor and slam into the furthermost part of the wall at Tenjin's side. The lifeless corpse would slide down it's side until it collapsed onto the ground. Heavy breathing could be heard from down the hall. Closer and closer, the monster of a boy would slowly come closer to Tenjin's location. When he rounded the corner, he saw someone standing in his way. It was hard to tell who, or what, but it didn't matter. Sanity had taken it's leave long ago. Akunin would appear next to Tenjin, and attempt to slice her with his claws. The dark chakra that had corrupted him was taking over, he could barely feel himself. ---- She would hear the thump as the dead body crashed into the wall in front of her. Ten would barely have time to ponder who or what had sent that her way when it was suddenly in front of her. Two brutal slashes would find their mark, deep jagged wounds marking her frame as she was forced backwards. They would well with blood as she screamed; her mind going blank as her dōjutsu responded to her call. With an almighty heave, she'd force everything around her backwards, tearing up the floors, bending the walls like plastic, as all became present became subject to her whims. The lass would then fall to her knees, her bleeding slowing to a trickle as her body began repairing itself. ---- The monster would be flung backwards into a wall, causing Akunin to grunt with pain. However, he was not stagnant for long. Gathering himself, he would use his monstrous speed to flicker over to where the girl had broken down. Blood dripped from his claws as he made a grab for Tenjin's exposed throat. He had found his target, for Akunin could feel the neck of his foe in the grip of his hand. Turning, he would slam her into a wall, and prepare to finish her off. But as soon as he raised his free hand to cut through the face of his victim, something came over him. "Tenjin... The beast's eyes were wide with surprise as they returned to their normal light blue color. Slowly but surely, his demonic form would retreat. All that was left was a shocked boy, traumatized by the fact he had almost killed the person he loved most. His hand left her throat, and Akunin fell backwards onto his rear end. "No... No... No..." He aould repeat over and over, his hands clutching his black spiky hair. "What am I doing? I... I..." He tried to finish, but he was too overcome by his own emotions. Tears started to stream down his face. "Tenjin, I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry, Tenjin..." ---- Unused to the intensity of one vs. one combat, she would find herself slammed against the wall once more, her back cracking from the impact as the wind was knocked out of her. More blood flowed as his grip increased, the young woman beginning to lose consciousness as her oxygen supply was cut off suddenly. Unfocused, she subconsciously activated it once more, but the technique merely pushed the beast an inch, rustling its hair. Hair? That's was weird; it didn't have hair before... Suddenly released as he skirted back, she slumped downwards. Turning her gaze to recognized the familiar hair style, her dōjutsu honed in on the familiar hair style. Ten then gave a sleepy smile to the sobbing figure. "Spi...ky...Boy." Standing on wobbly legs as her body was forced to heal once more, the young woman slowly made her way over before involuntarily sitting down as her legs went out from under her. Ten shook her head to clear it, missing pieces of incessant apologies as she deactivated her dōjutsu. ---- More sobs would escape from the mentally broken boy as he continued to whisper desperate apologies. But he would be interrupted by the footsteps of another wave of armed Titan's Spine soldiers. Suddenly, the two would find themselves surrounded. The only thing lighting up the dark corridor were the glowing sabers wielded by the dozens of men. "He is no use to us anymore." The leader would say. "Rather, kill him and take the girl alive." When Akunin heard this, his blood began to boil. Slowly, he rose to his feet and faced down the leader. "...way..." He would mumble as he clenched his fists. The dark aura that had been felt earlier on was returning. His hair started to turn white again, and his eyes were dyed an eerie black. "What did you say?" The now concerned leader asked as he took a step back. By this time, Akunin's transformation had completed. His claws were back, and his skin like the moon's surface. "STAY AWAY!!!" He roared as he flung himself into the midsts of the crowd. He started slashing wildly at the men in front of him, blood and detached limbs were flying everywhere. After pinning the leader of the guard to the ground and severing his head, he would turn around to find several of the soldiers making a grab for Tenjin. "NO!" He would scream as he leaped over her to engage her agressors. Before they had even come into contact with her, they would find themselves in the next life. After dispatching the last of them, Akunin scooped Tenjin up bridal style, and made a wild dash down the corridor. Somehow, the power had come on. The sudden flood of light almost blinded Akunin's eyes, and the blaring alarm made him jump. "Please forgive me Tenjin..." He said as he tried to sound friendly in his sinister new voice. "I'll get you out of here... I promise." ---- Tenjin lifted her head up at the sound of footsteps before realizing they were surrounded. Upon hearing what they had to say, she recognized things were going to get ugly quickly. However, as she would have time to ponder these sudden change of plans (on the part of the aggressors) as several soldiers reached in her direction. Ten vaguely remembered doing something new with her eyes: out of desperation? Fear? A white-haired monster who had tried to decapitate her like the leader. But the terrifying entity was Spiky Boy right? Did that make it ok? All of this new information coupled with the anarchic, grotesque surroundings made it difficult to focus. Such surroundings would remind her of the battle she watched between her future sisters and her mother Jasmine Woman. Blood, gore, uselessness; at least she had saved her sisters right? Kept them from becoming bodies in the ground. So much blood...such cold heartless eyes Jasmine had....the tsunami threatened to overwhelm her as she squeezed her eyes shut, a Shinrai Tensei building within and threatening to explode from her person. Yet all she heard was bodies drop and a sinister voice speaking to her. Ten tried not to jump at the sound. She kept reminding herself that it was Spiky Boy scooping her up, not a murderous beast ready to rip her apart. It didn't help that each syllable he spoke sounded like nails ripping through a chalkboard. Plus, his jumpiness from the blaring alarm made her own trepidation rise. His energies were all wrong too. She managed a small nod, not trusting herself to do anything else. ---- Akunin could feel Tenjin's unsurety. He wasn't sure if they could ever be the same again. If only he had knew, if only he knew that the one he almost beheaded was Tenjin. But it was too late now, he couldn't undo what had already been done. But he could at least help her get out of this place alive. "Tenjin..." He whispered, his hushed tone sounded like his normal voice. The same voice Tenjin had grown to know. "Do you forgive me?" ---- She shivered slightly, refocusing a bit as Akunin addressed her again. This time, he sounded like Spiky Boy; syllable for syllable, word for word. A voice she had grown to love; and one that solidified that Spiky Boy and the white-haired beast holding her were one and the same. She didn't know what to make of that. Ten had nearly died by his hand; yet those same hands now held her in a tender embrace. Can you forgive someone for nearly killing you? Even if they're near and dear to you? She wasn't sure; a chance at replying would be cut off by the arrival of several reinforcements. ---- The beast came to a complete stop, not sure of what to think anymore. "Guess not." He mumbled. He now looked like Akunin, the dark monster was now gone and only Spiky Boy was left. "But it doesn't really matter to me if you can't. I'll protect you anyways." Setting Tenjin down onto the ground, he stepped out in front of her and faced the guards that had come to take her away. "I promise..." Akunin said as both of his hands were coated in lightning. He had lost his Sharingan because of the extended exposure to this new chakra, and using this technique without it would be quite reckless. But Akunin didn't seem to care. "You will never feel pain like that again." He said, turning his head to Tenjin. "It may not sound very reassuring coming from me, I know I'm the one who hurt you. And you can distance yourself as much as you want to from me after this. But for now, please trust me. Even if you can't ever forgive me..." A now human Akunin would let out a battle cry just before charging the aggresors. The first would fall prey to his chidori, finding his head across the room. However, without his Sharingan, Akunin could not correctly calculate his moves. This resulted in his arm being cut by a chakra saber slash. Roaring in pain, he would turn and impale this man. Blood was now running down his arm, but he didn't care. He had to protect Tenjin. The third and fourth soldiers would be bisected by Akunin's crazed assualt. This left one man to face him. But only for a moment before a chidori emerged from his chest. After pushing the corpse off, Akunin would run over to Tenjin and scoop her up again. "We're almost out." He mumbled reassuredly as they rounded a corner and a window came into view. ---- She was pacing outside. She had her own misgivings about sending her sister off alone; Tenjin had too little combat experience compared to the rest of the family. Coupled with a dōjutsu that everyone in the world seemed to covet; it meant ever present danger. She shifted her feet as soon as she heard the alarm sound; power building her eyes as she prepared to warp inside. Tenjin squirmed a bit before being set down. At the same time her mind raced; trying to keep up with the hoard of movements made by Akunin as he dealt with the reinforcements. His monstrous form melted away, revealing her beloved Spiky Boy. Beloved? Where had that word came from? Confusion set in once more as she was picked up again, Aku mumbling as he took off in a run once more. ---- Akunin began to pick up speed as his right arm shifted. Tenjin's head would now rest on his bicep as he extended his arm out and formed a lightning spear to take out the window. As the glass fell, he prepared to jump. But not before quickly launching a second spear torwards a generator of some sort. When Akunin jumped with Tenjin in his arms, a fiery blast would propel him forwards into the air. He held Tenjin close, even while the explosion scorched his back. "That should have taken em out." He thought as he suddenly found himself plummeting down to earth. Flipping himself, he made sure he would land on his back so that Tenjin wouldn't be crushed. The two made their way to the ground, Akunin sliding on his back before coming to an abrupt halt. His back hurt, a lot. But he still held Tenjin despite the pain. "Are... You ok?" He coughed while wincing from the hot fire sensation in his back. ---- The woman would be stopped from her transport as she heard glass shatter and two figures plummet to the ground. Focusing her dōjutsu, Ei made an impromptu surface for them to land on, attempting to soften the hard landing before lowering them to the ground. As soon as she placed them on the ground, she warped to their location. "Tenjin!! Are you alrig-who's this?" she said, picking up the young woman as if she weighed nothing. Her senses went on high alert as she recognized the swirling dark energy within the male. It smelled like and was bad news as far as Ei was concerned. Ten had enough energy to scream in fearful exhilaration as they fell. About to reply to Akunin, she found herself in the arms another familiar figure: her sister. "Resilient Red!!!!" she exclaimed, hugging the woman before hopping to her feet. Seeing Eihei set her at ease; enough to see the burning embers and scorch marks peeking from Akunin's back. "Don't move Spiky Boy, you're hurt," Ten commented, her eyes rippling as the Rinnegan awoke once more. Sitting him in an upright position, energy spilled from her hands to his back, the seventh walkway going to work. ---- Akunin simply looked down as she began to repair his back. Though, thanks to the body modifications that he possessed, the wounds had already begun healing not long after they manifested. "Thank you..." He whispered, still in anguish about how he had almost killed Tenjin. Looking up, he noticed the pattern in Tenjin's eyes. "Rinnegan, huh?" Akunin commented. "I've heard stories..." ---- She would notice this. "Hmm?" Ten asked as she finished, knitting the last pieces of skin together. The young woman would sit back, Eihei standing over her as a protector. "Oh these? I've had these since I was small; I'm still learning how to use them," she responded, nodding sagely. For Eihei, it didn't take her much effort to see the torment besieging Akunin. "You have yet to tell me your name boy; nor what is plaguing your mind...perhaps guilt?" she commented. "That's rightttt, you don't know each other; this is Spiky Boy!! The guy I was telling you about finding!" Ten added, though her face fell momentarily before recovering. ---- "Yeah, I'm Akunin." He said, looking up to meet Ehei's gaze. "Nice to meet you...oh, what's wrong?" Many things ate away at him to be honest, but perhaps his incident with Tenjin chewed on him the most. "A lot of things, really. It's been a long, burdensome day filled with trauma and torture." His eyes would come to look at his hands, the same hands that had harmed Tenjin. "I almost lost what is most important to me today..." He mumbled. "I don't know what I would have done..." ---- Eihei stares at him, her expression pokerfaced. "You nearly lost what was most important to you....I'm afraid you'll have to elaborate on that matter." She followed his gaze, noticing the dried blood on Akunin's hands. Blood that wasn't his own; her eyes narrowed. "Do tell me, how did that blood arrive on your hands?" Ten felt the rising tension as her sister's line of questioning became sharper. "I-It's nothing! Nothing at all! It was really crazy back there and chaotic; messy!! Just let it go..please???" Eihei shook her head. "I want to hear from him." ---- Akunin sighed before starting. "Those scientists in that building did all kinds of experiments on me. They injected massive amounts of modified chakra into my system in hopes of creating a perfect shinobi. That chakra causes me to undergo some sort of transformation at different times...so far when my life, or someone close to me is in danger. I managed to break free from the restraints that were holding me down, and was able to destroy the machine that was pumping all that chakra into me. But I went crazy, and started killing scientists and soldiers left and right." Akunin's eyes welled up with tears as he tried to continue. "Everything is kind of a blurr, I can't really remember much...but when I returned to normal, Tenjin was hurt." Akunin's voice was choked with emotion as he began to cry. "I must have hurt her...no one else was there." Looking up at Ehei, he said. "I can't really blame me if you kill me, I'd do the same thing if someone hurt Tenjin." ---- He barely finished his sentence before Eihei slammed him into the wall of the building, fissures spreading as pieces started to crumble. "What...did you say?" she asked slowly, holding Aku by his throat. Leaking from her being was pure, unadulterated Killing Intent directed solely at Akunin. It painted a vivid, impressive picture of what exactly she would do to him; an inhuman monstrosity with an uncanny aptitude for murder. In short, he would just be another body to her. That is until Ei felt something tugging on her arm. Someone actually. A teary eyed Tenjin continued her attempts to pry Ei's fingers away. "Let him go Reddy!!!" she cried, "I..I love him!" "YOU WHAT??" Eihei roared, the ground shaking. "HE HARMED YOU AND THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY?" ---- An emotionally broken Akunin would barely wince as he felt his back crack from the force of Ehei's slam. A searing pain shot through his back as the wounds reopened. His emotionless eyes peered into the deep burning void that was his agressor's own pair of eyes. Akunin prepared to accept his fate, until he heard the desperate pleas of Tenjin. "I love him..." Did she really just say that? She had feeling torwards someone who had almost killed her? He wasn't sure he had heard her right, but if he did... Tears began to run down his face and would spill onto Ehei's hand. Akunin would turn his head to face Tenjin before managing a faint response. "Why?" He whispered. ---- Her own tears would flow as she started. "Because you're warm, friendly, lazy, cook really good food and take me places....because you care!! That...action.....doesn't represent you ok??!! You're more than that!!" she cried, her words digressing into sobs as she continued her efforts to tug Ei's arm away. Not realizing her sister's grasp weakened as part of that plea struck home. Ei would then fully let go, dropping Akunin like a sack of potatoes as a shadow crossed her face. Monster; its a term she had made peace with. One that she was content with being; as long as it didn't effect her loved ones. She shook her head. ---- The boy hit the ground with a thud, and would look up at Ehei before facing Tenjin. He then got up from his spot on the ground and looked into Tenjin's eyes. He was at a total loss for words. He was unsure how to voice the bubbling emotions that had built up inside of him. Gathering himself, he managed to let out a choked response. "I love you too... Tenjin." ---- The ensuing hug (one that was crushing in nature) was Tenjin's response. And a sign of the path to healing; a small step anyway. Eihei for her part remained conflicted; yet she could see traces of happiness among the tears. Whether it was genuine love or something more was another question entirely. She sighed heavily. "You will treat my sister like a princess, nay a queen. If a single hair on her head is misplaced, you'll find a fate worse than death awaiting you. Understood?" ---- When Akunin felt Tenjin's arms surround him and press his body into her own, he felt relieved. Forgiveness was a wonderful thing. She didn't seem to be concerned about how he had hurt her earlier on, she even went so far to say that it "didn't represent him". This made his tears flow all the more. He would reciprocate the embrace and begin to cry as he held Tenjin close. Akunin thought he could hear Ehei say something, but he couldn't really make it out over the sound of his own sobs. "I love you, Tenjin... And I'm sorry." He would repeat. ---- Eihei harrumphed at the young man's tears, even if she was inwardly moved by his sentiment. Given how many crocodiles she had seen in her years, she could tell that at least these waterworks were genuine; as was the collective embrace. "So he loves her...hmph." Ei thought inwardly. Not used to chaperoning young adults, she nevertheless took on the role. "Come on you two, let's go home....but first," she snapped her fingers, surrounding the lab and building with a space-time barrier, "this will go." Swiping the same hand right, she ripped the building and everything in it apart, shredding them across the space-time nexus while using the barrier to contain the act and prevent a disturbance to the continuum. Tenjin for her part continued to hug Akunin, unwilling to let him go. She wanted Spiky Boy to stay like this; to be himself and not what happened within the now destroyed building. "I love you too Spiky Boy." ---- Akunin would turn his head to the side and rest his cheek atop Tenjin's head. He hoped that he would never have to use that dark power of his again. "I promise... As far as I can help it, you'll never have to see me like that again." He thought to himself as he caressed her back, though, his thoughts were interrupted when Ehei spoke. "H-Home?" He asked, pulling back a bit from Tenjin. "Like, the orphanage Tenjin stays at?" ---- "Of course; where else would we be going Konoha-nin?" Eihei asked dryly. Her expression was unimpressed now that she had met Akunin properly. Ten linked one hand with Akunin's before placing the other hand on Eihei's back. "Ready!!" Not waiting for Aku's reply, Ei whisked them away to the orphanage grounds, leaving the now empty space behind them. ---- Ten weeks later... ---- Laying down by a riverbank, Akunin lightly bobbed his fishing pole up and down a few times to try and set the hook in a fish that kept hitting his bait. "Dammit... Just get caught already." He sighed as he laid his head back into the grass. Reeling the bait in, he would roll over in to the right and grab his tackle box. Now, rolling back to the other side, he would prepare to switch the bait on his line. "Topwater might work." He thought as he cut the current bait off. ---- Ten wandered down the forest line, searching for the riverbank where she knew Akunin would be sitting. Her foot was a bit unsteady, still getting used to the extra she was carrying. The young woman remembered asking Rosey why she was becoming fat, only for the nun to half-gasp, half-giggle at Tenjin's cluelessness. So she walked off in a huff, asking her big sister the same question. This time, she learned the answer; so now she navigated the natural scenery, occasionally looking down to see if it went away or grew. For the moment, it seemed the same. Spotting her target, Ten slowed down. With a crouch, she focused on the unsuspecting figure of Akunin before leaping forward to hug tackle him from behind. ---- Having successfully tied his bait to his fishing rod, Akunin prepared to cast. "I'll get the bastard this time." He assured himself as he grabbed the handle of the pole. However, as he reared back, he felt something hit his back. This caused him to drop his fishing pole and made him lean forwards a bit. Turning his head, he smiled at the culprit. "Hey, whatcha doin'?" He asked. As Tenjin pressed herself against his back, he felt something else cushion him besides her voluminous bust. "Hm, seems like you might be gaining weight." He teased. "Maybe you should lay off the waffles for a bit." ---- Tenjin puffed out her cheeks in mock indignation. "Meanie!!" she retorted, teasingly punching him in the shoulder before cuddling closer, resting her chin on the abused shoulder before sighing happily. "Seeing how you're doing and if you've caught anything!! I also have BIGGGGG NEWS!" she said, stretching the last syllable to emphasize its importance as she answered his first question. While saying this, her hand shot out, going around to snatch the elusive fish. ---- Akunin laughed when she hit him, then let out a small "Ow". Though, Tenjin's cuddling would provide a remedy. Laying a hand atop her head, he moved a bit so he could kiss her cheek. "And what would that be?" He would ask with a smile, not exactly sure if her "big news" was actual news or simply something food related. Either way, Akunin was interested to hear what his lover had to say. ---- Setting the fish aside, she took a deep breath before proclaiming, "I'M PREGNANT!! According to Resilient Red anyway; Rosey just laughed me off when I asked." She huffed a bit before nuzzled Akunin. "A little me or a little you is growing!! Or is it a little us??" ---- Akunin's face was one of surprise and joy mixed into an emotion he had no way of describing with mere words. "I, uh, dunno... Could be anything." He said as he cuddled Tenjin. "I guess that means you don't have to lay off the waffles... Since we know that mass goes elsewhere." He laughed before kissing Tenjin's cheek again. "But us? Parents? I wonder if that'll work out ok..." ---- "HI HI!! Of course!! We'll shower the baby with love!!" was her confident response before trailing of into thought. "I wonder what they'll look like!! Boy or girl??" Snuggling closer, she began imagining the child; their child. She smiled. "I'll need lots of waffles, cause I'm eating for two now!!" Reciprocating with a kiss on his cheek, she watched the gurgling river pass by. ---- "I guess you will..." Akunin replied softly as he patted her head. "I'll be sure to provide you with plenty of food and drink." ---- "I sure hope so; no skimping ok?" she teased lightly. ---- "Heheh..." Akunin chuckled. "Ok." ---- Several months later.. ---- Her heart lifted as she heard the cries. Swaddled thoroughly by the nuns, the new bundle of joy would quiet, tiny hands curled into fists. A fine down of blue hair spread the infant's head. Ten couldn't help but giggle at the child's serious, closed-eyed expression; cooing softly, she would poke one of the infant's fists after being handed the baby. The new mother ignored the stuffiness of the room, crowded as it was with various family members, orphanage children, and the clergy, all trying to snatch a peek of the new arrival. She giggled again as the baby yawned. ---- Another small noise of happiness could be heard along with Tenjin's giggle. Akunin, who loomed over his lover let out a small chuckle as he would extend his hand out to the new addition to his family. He would smile as a tiny hand would touch his index finger. "She already has your hair." Akunin would say while proudly eyeing their child. "What name did you come up with?" Another chuckle would escape as the baby girl would lightly hold her father's finger in her hand. ---- "HI HI! She has my appetite too!" Tenjin responded, before nestling the little girl closer to them both. "Umm.......Chame?? She's a sneaky one; I'll have to guard my waffles around her," Ten complained good-naturedly. ---- He would mouth the name Tenjin had proposed once, testing how it came out. "I like that." Akunin said as his free arm would wrap around Tenjin and bring her into an embrace. "I'll fix you both a good amount so everyone's happy." He promised before kissing Tenjin on the forehead. ---- "Hope you have enough energy for that!" she responded before lightly pinching Chame's cheeks. She reciprocated his forehead kiss with one of her own. ---- "I'm sure I will..." He whispered as he watched Chame slowly bring his finger to her mouth. "I'll take care of both of you; I promise." ---- Several years later..... ---- How time passes; what was once a couple now poised to become a family of five. A heavily pregnant Tenjin half-walked, half-waddled towards the refrigerator; her roaring stomach enough to shake the house slightly. "I know widdle one, I'm hungry too. Wuv you!" she murmured, talking to the shifting baby as she walked through the house. She rubbed her stomach lightly, feeling a small poke from the inside as the infant touched her hand with foot. Ten began thinking of what she would eat as she rounded the corner, eventually deciding on an old favorite: waffles. They were timelessly delicious after all. However, those dreams would be dashed as she turned the corner and viewed the sight in front of her. The woman screamed, the sound reverberating through the home as the baby rolled about inside her; perhaps it shared its mother's horror. ---- The entire household would hear the horrendous scream that would be emitted from the traumatized woman. The first to attempt to solve the issue was a wide-eyed girl of nine years. "What is it mommy?" She would ask as she poked at a sort of tube with a screwdriver; a tube that looked much like something one might see inside of a refrigerator. Behind the child would rest all sorts of other parts that could be found in the very same device. ---- "T-t-the f-f-f-fridge...w-w-what a-are y-you doing?" she asked the screw driver wielding child, tripping over her words as tears began falling. Her waffles..her lovely waffles, strewn about. They appeared old and soggy now, spoiled by from a lack of refrigeration. Chame would hear the same scream, dropping what she was working on. She had just returned home from a day at the orphanage, teaching (well..playing) with the children after receiving her own lessons from her visiting aunt. Whirling around the corner, she saw her mother on the verge of collapse, as realization sunk in. "Mom, MOM! Don't worry, we'll find you something to eat, something good, I promise; I promise." Cha would gently guide Ten to a seat before turning to her sister. "What are you doing??!! That's the last thing you should be tinkering with!!" she hissed at Fujiko, attempting to keep her sobbing mother's mind off of what transpired. ---- A confused Fujiko would look at her sister, then at the crying Tenjin. Despite being the mother, it seemed like she was just another sibling most of the time, and that their dad and Chame seemed to be the parent figures. "I just wanted to know how the fridge stays so cold." Fujiko would say before turning to face the scattered pieces of the refrigerator. "And I think I figured it out..." Just then, Akunin would walk in the front door. "Eyyyy! I'm back!" He would say in his usual laid back tone. "Wassu- oh god..." It was at this moment, that Akunin noticed the broken appliance, the child brandishing a screwdriver, and his bawling lover. "So, uh, what happened?" He asked, a little hesitant to get involved. ---- "Yes yes, you figured out how the refrigerator remains cold. Small problem though; you broke it in the process! You know that it's important for keeping food fresh and not letting it spoil; did you check to see if the fridge was empty before doing this??" Chame asked, berating her younger sister. "That costs money you know; we can't just be replacing everything you "figured out" willy nilly. At this rate you'll have to get a job," she continued before breathing a sigh of relief. "Dad, we need food....Fuji decided to disassemble the fridge and everything in it is....no good anymore." Tenjin continued to sniffle, before tackling the recently arrived Akunin with a hug. "We need waffleesssss," she sobbed, pointing to the stack of soggy, spoiled goods strewn across the floor. ---- Seeing the food that had now gone bad, but most importantly, Tenjin's waffles, he suddenly understood her immense sorrow. "Oh, that's why you're upset." Akunin said, caressing the back of his pregnant lover's head from his spot under her. "It's ok, me and you can go get some more. And I'll take you somewhere nice to eat really good waffles." "OH! CAN I COME?!" Fujiko would say happily as she suddenly forgot all about the mess she had made. "Nah." Her father replied as he stood up while hugging Tenjin. "Since you understand the fridge now, you'll need to put it back together..." Glancing over at his elder daughter, he shrugged. "So, me and mommy are gonna go into town, and Fuji can put the fridge back together." "YAY!" Fujiko yelled as she latched onto her sister's waist. Despite the miniscule gap between their ages, Fuji was much shorter. "Me and Cha-Cha can do it! She'll be my helper!" ---- Tenjin brightened immediately. "YAY!!! FRESH MADE WAFFLES." Though her tears continued running, they were the happier sort. The baby felt the mood change immediately, settling down as it too turned its attention towards the promise of food. Chame sighed. "Can you bring me back something at least?" she asked her father, before ruffling her younger sibling's hair. "Helper you say; more like leading the way. Let's see if you're as good at putting things back together as you are at taking them apart." ---- "Sure, maybe... No promises." He said while rubbing Tenjin's back. "Depends how hungry mommy is..." Chuckling, he would bring his hand to meet his lover's, and would intertwine his fingers with her own. "Alright, Tenjin." Akunin would say with a grin. "Let's go." "You? Leader?" Fujiko would say laughing as she pulled away from her sister's bosom. "What do you know about fridges? You're the helper." She concluded, puffing her chest out. ---- The tears dried. "HIHI. Very hungry!! Two people need foood!" she declared before lightly squeezing Akunin's hand. "TO THE MARKET!" With that, she would exit, half-walking with, half-towing Aku along. Chame watched the two of them go. "I know more about fridges then you think Fuji," was her response, poking her younger sibling. "Now let's get to work; I want to have this up and running before mom and dad return." ---- "OK!" Fujiko happily exclaimed before running over to the fridge. "I was able to disassemble it without tipping it over... But we'll need to lay it down so I can properly put those back in." She said, pointing to a few specific parts on the floor. ---- Chame stared at her before moving closer to the empty refrigerator. "We'll need some help for that; or a way to move it ourselves." She gave a small tug, unsurprised when it didn't move. "Any ideas?" ---- "NOPE!" Fujiko said in her usual excited tone. "We need a really big man!" She concluded while staring at the giant appliance. Meanwhile... "So...what are you gonna get when we arrive?" A smiling Spiky Boy would ask as he stroked Tenjin's tummy. "The place has all kinds of breakfast food, like the place we met at; its a buffet type deal." ---- "Question is, where we'll find that big man; it's easier said then done," Chame responded while thinking. Meanwhile.... "Silly Spiky Boy; everything!!" was Tenjin's empathic response. She brightened further upon hearing it was a buffet. Her imagination pictured mountains of waffles and pancakes, towering stacks of sausage, and seas of bacon. It was a sight for sore eyes as far as she was concerned. Within this eagerness, however, was gratitude. "Thanks." With that, Ten placed her hand over his. ---- Akunin would chuckle at Tenjin's loud and energetic response. She had such a simple outlook on life; precisely the reason he loved her. Thanks to Tenjin, Akunin was able to see past the flawed systems of the ninja villages and abandon the shinobi lifestyle. Tenjin, Chame, Fujiko, and this new baby was all he needed. "Oh, you're welcome." He said with a smile as his other arm would find its place around her shoulders; pulling her closer to him. "It's just one of the ways I can say 'I love you'...and the baby." ---- "Obviously," she said, before nuzzling him. Ten gave his hand a gentle squeeze as she continued walking along. "I wonder what the baby will be...boy or girl? Either way they're going to eat a lot!! They have my appetite alright!!" The woman chuckled as she skipped along the path. ---- Akunin sped up a bit to move with Tenjin's skipping. "It would seem that way, wouldn't it?" He chuckled. Squinting, he caught sight of the town the two of them were heading to. "And you two should be able to vent your appetite out pretty soon, cuz the bufet is just in there." ---- She squealed in excitement, going from a skip to towing Akunin along, the smells of the buffet wafting towards her sensitive nose as they closed in on the town's outskirts. The teasing scent were enough to make her pace ever quicker, reaching a run. "No more walking The foood awaits!!!" ----